You made me stronger
by amwong88
Summary: [COMPLETE] He offers to teach her but instead she teaches him something. A chance meeting between two outcasts transforms into something desperately needed by both. ItaHina.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters do not belong to me...

Thank goodness I saved the first chapter of this! My story got deletedand everything after this is a rewrite so many apologies to all those who've read and reviewed this before; the upcoming chapters might be a bit different and might take a long time to be updated. Who knew that rewriting lost chapters is so hard - I'm trying my best but it never seems as good as it used to be ...sigh...

Actually, for all those who've read this fic before, if you've by any chance saved it, could you **_please_** send it to me at myemail address given on my profile page. I'llbe eternally grateful since I'm really quite upset at losing all my stories (ARGH!) so I'd be more than willing to take any fic requests in return...

* * *

The first time he saw her was at the empty training grounds.

It was late and the only sound besides the chirping of crickets was the rhythmic thumps of flesh against wood. Itachi trained his Sharingan on the slight figure hitting the training pole below him. From his vantage point in the tree, he could see that she was trembling from exhaustion, her knuckles bloodied as they pushed back the strands of damp black hair from her pale skin. She was fragile, hardly different from a child; Itachi could tell that regardless of how much she trained, it was unlikely that her skills would improve in significance. He crouched to leave but was stopped by a soft, tremulous voice.

"Who...who's there?"

The young man turned back to face her. It was unlikely that she could have seen him; the night was dark and he was hidden in the shadows. He also doubted that she could have heard him, since his sleuthing skills far surpassed any she could hope to achieve. He stood perfectly still, eyes narrowing as she lifted her head in his direction.

"I...I can see you. Please don't...don't hide."

A sliver of moonlight shone onto the empty field and Itachi suddenly caught a glimpse of the veins surrounding pupil-less white eyes. So she was a Hyuuga. No wonder she could see him.

Itachi materialized a few feet in front of her, ignoring her gasp of surprise. Judging from her age and appearance, she was most likely the Hyuuga heir. Hyuuga Hinata. Yet she was weak. That much was obvious. He mentioned it to her.

She flushed, wringing her hands before wincing when her fingers brushed over the torn flesh.

"Yes, but...but...I am training. I can get better..."

"No, you won't." He cut off her stuttering. "The blood limit is not strong in you. You will never be able to use the Byukugan as it is meant to be used."

"You're wrong."

Her quiet assurance had him raising an eyebrow. He had not expected it from such a timid mouse. Her fists were clenched as she took an unthinking step towards him, her pale eyes flashing with something indefinable.

"I can change. I can!"

As the girl raised her eyes to his for the first time, the pale orbs widened in recognition. Itachi watched the onslaught of emotions flit across her face. Fear. Shock. This was yet another of her weaknesses: she was too open, her feelings too close to the surface to be an efficient shinobi.

"You're scared of me."

It was an observation; she answered as if it was a question.

"No...no." She shook her head slowly. "Not you especially. Everyone."

"Do you know who I am?"

"Uch...Uchiha Itachi-san."

He considered the girl before him. It was surprising that she was still standing here in front, let alone conversing with him as if he was one of the townsfolk. Perhaps it was the underlying flash of determination he had seen in her eyes, or perhaps it was the incessant dull throbbing in his head. Either way, Itachi never found out what made him offer what he did.

"You will become stronger if I train you."

Silence dragged on between them.

"Uchiha-san is willing to train me?" Hinata blinked, certain that she had heard him wrong. "But you are a crim...a crim..." She couldn't bring herself to say 'criminal' without getting dizzy. As it was, she couldn't believe that she was standing here talking to him!

"Yes."

When it became obvious that he wasn't going to say anything else, Hinata fidgeted uncomfortably under his unwavering gaze. He was dangerous. He was a murderer. He was wanted by several countries. Why did he want to train her?

"Why?"

"I don't know."

She was relieved as she felt the suffocating weight of his stare lift off her. Peeking up from under her fringe, Hinata chanced a closer glance at his face. He was an older version of Sasuke-kun. The same dark hair, the same pale skin. But he was also different. His face was tired, making him seem older. With a gasp, she realized he reminded her of Neji nii-san. His gaze shifted back to her at the small sound.

"What?"

"Uchiha-san is like... like Neji nii-san. My...my cousin."

"How?"

"You are both suffering. Everyone...everyone says you're geniuses but that only makes you more different, more lonely."

In her desire to articulate her thoughts, Hinata almost forgot to stammer. Itachi didn't speak; he merely continued staring at her.

"I will train you. Meet me here tomorrow night."

Before Hinata could splutter an argument, he disappeared.

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	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters do not belong to me 

If anyone has any idea why fanfiction deletes accounts, could you please send me an email and let me know? I've checked the terms of service and I haven't done anything like plagarizing or posting the same story multiple times so it's really frustrating.

* * *

"Harder. Your aim is off."

Hinata panted; every muscle in her body ached. For the past two weeks, they had been training nightly until she was on the verge of collapse. Itachi, on the other hand, always stood at ease, dodging her attacks effortlessly while he ruthlessly pointed out flaws in her movements. Combined with her daytime training sessions with Kiba-kun and Shino-kun, Hinata wasn't sure how much longer she could last.

"Please...Itach...Itachi-san. I need to...to rest."

Kneeling on the ground, she closed her eyes, grateful that he allowed her to do so. In fact, Itachi had proven to be a surprisingly patient, albeit strict, sensei. He rarely raised his voice or showed any emotion but appeared to take his role seriously.

"Like I said, you are not suited to taijutsu. Your body doesn't have the strength for hand-to-hand combat."

Hinata didn't move. She had heard this all before from her father.

"We will focus on ninjutsu instead."

The girl struggled to her feet. "But the Hyuuga fighting style...I have to..."

He ignored her protests, as was often the case. "Your blood limit allows you to see Chakra flows. Can you see the tenketsu points in your own hand?"

Hinata nodded, focusing her Byakugan on the blue pinpricks of light in the centre of her palms.

"Open both channels and watch how I do the seals. Ninpon Karamon no jutsu."

Itachi completed the hand gestures and watched as she copied the movements. "Now look at my chakra flow and point out a tenketsu on my arm. Then strike it with your palm while imagining the tenketsu in your own hand drawing the chakra from my body."

Hinata did as he instructed and gasped when her eyes identified a weak stream of blue chakra escaping Itachi's body into her own.

"This technique enables you to suck the chakra from your enemy's body into your own. In addition to draining his energy, it will increase yours. Naturally, you will need to practice in order to drain larger amounts than this."

With a snap of his hand, the chakra flow between them stopped. Hinata blinked; she did feel somewhat less tired than she had before. Was Itachi-san's chakra so great that even such a little bit could revitalize her to this degree?

"Ita...Itachi-san, if I keep practicing this with you, won't it...won't it hurt you?"

The cloaked figure regarded her with what could only be deemed as genuine amusement. Hinata was suddenly breathless; his whole demeanor changed with that little sparkle in his eyes. It was as if the heavy burden he carried around had been lifted temporarily.

"I doubt you could harm me, Hinata-san. Even if you trained for three years."

Flushing at his words yet unoffended due to his teasing tone, Hinata wrung her hands in her typical fashion. "Please...please call me Hinata."

He was silent for a second before nodding.

"Goodnight, Hinata."

**-o-O-o-**

Itachi had no idea why he kept coming back. At first, his sole goal in returning to Konoha had been to investigate the widespread rumors about the 'sole Uchiha heir.' Unfortunately, he had been disappointed. It appeared that much of the inflated gossip had been due to the existence of the legendary Sharingan, rather than the individual talents of the bearer. He had fully intended to leave this pitiful little village...until he had met her.

_Hyuuga Hinata. _

The pale face, the quivering voice. Itachi had seen and heard them numerous times before. Beautiful women, pleading women, dying women. They all melded together into a faceless memory he had no interest in exploring. She should have been just another worthless weakling, someone that could never directly benefit or harm him in any way. He couldn't understand what had possessed him to offer to train the girl.

All he knew was that she had stood her ground had stood up to him when her every instinct had obviously been to flee. Such a timid creature. Yet there had been something else. Something heady and urgent that had tethered her to the spot and forced her to face him. Something that Itachi instinctively wanted for himself.

_It's curiosity. Nothing more. _

Maybe that was why he was hurrying there to meet her even though his body was screaming for rest after the endless months of mindless destruction. Maybe that was why he no longer protested when the image of a pale face with glimmering eyes appeared repeatedly in his mind.

**-o-O-o-**

The girl curled up in bed, tracing small circles on her plain white bed sheet. It had been three months since he had told her he would be gone for a while. For the first few nights after that, Hinata had continued coming to the training field every night, worried that this was some sort of test she couldn't afford to fail. Each time he hadn't shown up, she had been relieved.

_I'm not disappointed. I'm not._

S-class criminal. Mass murderer.

The mantra circled endlessly in her head. Hinata wondered just how desperate she must be to accept the help of someone hated by her entire village. There was always that nagging threat in the back of her mind that this was merely some sort of sick game to him. That she was nothing more than an amusing insect whose existence depended on its owner's length of interest. Every time they sparred, she was almost sick with the fear that her clumsiness would suddenly infuriate him and provoke him into getting rid of her.

"You weren't at the field today."

Hinata sat up, clutching the sheet to her chest. "Ita...Itachi-san?"

A cloaked figure leapt silently off the windowsill to stand in the shadowed corner of her room. They both stayed motionless for a while, warily watching each other. She caught a glimmer of black; it was the first time that she had seen him without the Sharingan activated.

"How...how did you get in...in here?"

"Easily."

"But...but the guards...my fam...family..."

Hinata was struck with the horrific image of this man killing everyone within the Hyuuga house in order to reach her. After all, this was the same person who had mercilessly slaughtered his entire clan in a single night for no apparent reason at all. She jumped out of bed and rushed towards the door in a blind frenzy. Her movements were abruptly stopped when Itachi appeared in front of her.

"I didn't have to kill to get in here."

"I...I don't trust you."

In her panic, she didn't consider the effect her words might have on him. He allowed her to stumble back to the bed and plaster herself to the wall as she held up a pillow as makeshift shield.

"You shouldn't. But I can assure you that in this case, I'm telling the truth."

Hinata hesitated, her clear eyes blinking up at him. When he made no move towards her, she relaxed marginally. So far, he had not displayed even the slightest intention to harm her. She felt that slight prickle of guilt at having judged someone, however deserved his reputation, before they had done anything.

As the silence stretched out between them, Hinata sought to find the reason he was here.

"I've been training. I haven't...haven't been lazy."

When he continued to gaze at her, she foundered for another possible explanation.

"I haven't told...told anyone about you. I prom...promise..."

"Why not?"

For once, his voice had lost that odd, expressionless quality. He sounded almost curious.

"I...I don't know."

"Fair enough. Tell me about your cousin."

Hinata was startled. "Neji nii-san?"

When he didn't answer, she took that as a yes.

"Neji nii-san is...complex. He's strong...prob...probably the strongest Hyuuga. But he's...he's hurt too..."

"I heard he tried to kill you during the Chuunin Exams two years ago."

"N-no!"

In her eagerness to defend her cousin, Hinata didn't question his knowledge about her past.

"Neji nii-san was an...angry. The Branch family...the Main family...Neji nii-san lost his father and...and he's been all alone. But it's bet...better now...inside, he's...he's very kind..."

"How can you say that when all he's ever done is hurt you?"

"He has never...never hurt me. It was always the...the other way around."

Although her voice shook, Hinata's belief in her cousin was rock-steady. She could still recall his face during that match. The pain and loss boiling just underneath that cold calmness. And it had hurt her far more than any of his physical blows had. To know that her family, her weakness had destroyed the life of the one person who had always been there for her, Hinata had wanted to give him everything in compensation. It didn't matter what he had done in the past because inside, he was still the same child who had adored and played with his little cousin.

"So you believe that regardless of what someone has done, they can change simply because of who they once were?"

Hinata's head snapped up. His voice had changed. It was now cold and hot at the same time, the anger emanating from him so heavy that she felt as though he was trying to suffocate her with it. He was suddenly much closer.

"It...Itachi-san?"

Pale hands reached out towards her. The girl squeezed her eyes shut, her breath coming in short gasps as she waited for him to strangle her to death. There was no point in even fighting back. Instead, she felt long fingers stroke down her cheek.

Jerking her head back, Hinata stared wide-eyed up at him. Dark pools of black searched her face until Itachi finally stepped away. The soft rustle of a curtain signaling his departure floated through Hinata's mind along with his parting words.

"I don't believe that."

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	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters do not belong to me...but I still want Gaara and Shikamaru!

YEAH...finally back to the point where I ended last time. May take a week or so before I update cuz I'm going on a trip tomorrow so won't be able to write anything for a while. Hang tight and thanks to all those who are reading this! I appreciate all reviews and criticisms.

* * *

He was there. 

Hinata peered out from behind a large oak tree at the well-concealed figure hidden in the forest on the edge of the training field. She hadn't intended to come. After last night, she had promised herself that she would never meet him again and that first thing in the morning, she would go tell the Hokage that Uchiha Itachi was back in Konoha. Instead, Hinata had found herself volunteering to do unnecessary tasks, activities that took her as far away from Tsunade's office as possible. And now, here she was again, placing herself at the mercy of a merciless man. Hinata silently berated herself for her indecisiveness.

"Come out, Hinata. I sensed your chakra signature ever since you left your house."

She stifled a small squeak. The red Sharingan was fixed on her from the top of a tree next to one she was clutching. She had not even heard him move.

"I didn't expect you to show up."

He waited for her to respond. Part of him expected her to bolt; the other part was still mildly surprised that the girl had came at all. When she made no movement, the tiniest flicker of impatience crossed his face.

"You said you've been training. Show me."

Hinata tried to comply but her feet remained rooted to the ground.

"I...I can't."

They stared at each other for a long time. An owl hooted loudly in the distance.

"If you don't attack me, it's not my fault if you get hurt."

With that, Itachi hurtled off the tree branch directly at Hinata.Whipping out an arm, he struck her solidly in the stomach and flung her into a nearby tree. A soft moan escaped her lips as her limp body slid down the tree, a trickle of red marring the snowy perfection. Hinata blinked, desperately trying to clear her mind from the encroaching darkness.

"Fight me or I'll kill you."

Her hands clenched involuntarily. Those words sounded so familiar yet so different.

--

_"Give up or I'll killyou."_

_He glared at her, his voice deliberately and painfully impersonal. The pale skin, the colourless eyes. Features that were so similar to her own yet infinitely more precious to Hinata. _

_She struggled to her feet, pushing back the damp strands of hair that clung to her face. The metallic taste of blood, the yells of the other genin- they all faded into the background. All Hinata could see was the young man in front of her._

"Look, Hinata-sama! Look!"

A chubby hand tugged at the little girl's while another pointed eagerly at a bright red bird perched near the pond. The afternoon sun shone warmly on the two children running through the Hyuuga garden.

"That's my favourite. I promised I would show you right, Hinata-sama?"

The three year-old giggled shyly. "Hai, nii-san."

_"Neji nii-san..."_

_--_

Itachi leapt sideways as a slim, bandaged leg shot out suddenly under him. Hinata spun forward, her limbs whirling in a flurry of chakra-infused attacks. He was pleased to see that she hadn't been lying; not only had the strength of her attacks improved, but her speed and accuracy had also increased.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

The dark hair, the emotionless expression; the man in front of her was too similar to another for Hinata to tell the difference. Arching her arm outwards, she pushed forward recklessly.

"Why do you do this to yourself? Why do you force yourself to do things you don't mean?"

She gasped when she felt her wrist clasped tightly in a large hand. The world around her came to an abrupt halt when he brutally slammed her up against a tree trunk. Hinata stared wide-eyed into a swirling sea as red as blood and as black as night.

_Eternal damnation._

Itachi rested his forearm almost casually across her throat. The girl weakly pulled at him to no avail.

"You don't know anything about me. You are nothing!"

The pressure on her throat increased. A welcoming sense of faintness threatened to overcome her but Hinata struggled to fight it off. There was something he needed to hear.

"But you aren't."

The sound of wheezing filled the air as Itachi abruptly lifted his arm. He silently watched her gulp in air, his face inscrutable.

"It-Itachi-san..."

Her words were cut off when he crushed his mouth over her. Hinata froze, her mind horrifically registering the feeling of his lips and tongue as he plundered the recesses of her mouth roughly. Strong fingers gripped her chin as Itachi wedged her fully against the tree. He smiled with grim satisfaction at the way she futilely tried to twist away from the obvious arousal he intentionally pressed against her.

"Look at me."

He wanted to see her eyes. Wanted to see the disgust and hate taint those innocent orbs.

"Please, Itachi-san...yada..."

Itachi pushed away from her. Hinata collapsed on the ground, tears rolling down her flushed face. Her eyes never left his. He took an unconscious step back, the crunch of dry twigs mockingly loud.

"Don't come near me again."

Then he ran. The painful bite of the chilly night air was unnoticed. For once, Itachi paid no attention to his surroundings, no heed to the direction he was going.

He had intended to scare her, to force her to accept the fact that he was a dangerous stranger, not her best friend. Instead, what he had seen reflected in those haunting eyes had only ended up adding to his ever-growing mass of carefully-hidden inner turmoil.

He had seen himself.

* * *

A/N: I tried to make it more clear as to why Itachi behaves like this towards Hinata. Reviewers mentioned last time that it seemed a bit fast for him to 'make a move' on her but that isn't the idea I'm trying to get across. 

Please feel free to tell me how you interpret this and how you feel about the fic...I've actually already written the ending but have a couple of different ways for the story to continue in the mean time.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters do not belong to me.

Due to the typhoon here, finally got up the determination to sit down and crank out this chapter. On holiday in Hong Kong now; who knew that shopping everyday could actually be so boring? Many thanks to the faithful who still stick with me despite my laziness...

* * *

"Watch out, Hinata!" 

Startled, the girl jumped back, narrowly avoiding a spinning kunai headed straight for her nose. Kiba ran over, Akamaru barking loudly at his side.

"What's up with you lately? I could have really hurt you!"

"Nothing, Kiba-kun." Hinata stared at the ground, quickly flashing a nervous smile at her teammates. "I'm...I'm just tired, that's all."

"That had better be all."

A tall, black-haired woman walked up, the concern on her face belying the sternness of her tone.

"Your chakra control and speed have improved significantly over the past six or seven months. You should be proud of your accomplishments; there's no need to overexert yourself all at once."

"Yes, sensei."

Kurenai surveyed the girl in front of her for a moment. "That's all for today. You can go home now."

Letting out a loud whoop, Kiba charged off the field, waving goodbye to Hinata while Shino headed off in the direction of the forest.

"Hey, Shino! Where are you headed?"

"Forest. Train my bugs."

"Aw, aren't you hungry?"

"No."

"Come on..."

"Hinata."

She turned as her teacher fell into step beside her. "Yes?"

"Kiba was right, you know. You haven't been yourself lately.Care to tell me what's going on?"

The memory of warm lips and hard hands flooded unbidden into her mind. Shaking her head furiously, Hinata forced a small smile while avoiding those intent red eyes. She hated lying to the woman who had taken her in when no one else believed in her.

"I'm fine, Kurenai-sensei. I'm just wor...worried that I'm not...not improving fast enough."

She could tell that the woman didn't completely believe her but was relieved when she let it slide for the time being.

"If that's the case, I'll organize a special sparring event with another group.I'm going to look at it as both training and as an opportunity to see how far all of you have advanced in comparison with the other genin."

Kurenai nodded, obviously satisfied with her idea.

"Let's see, Asuma's group isn't really suitable since Nara Shikamaru is already a chuunin. So I guess that leaves either Gai or Kakashi."

She grimaced half-heartedly.

"Hmm...I guess Kakashi might be easier to handle than Gai so it's settled."

Glancing down at Hinata, she was surprised at the girl's lack of reaction to the possibility of sparring with that Uzumaki kid.

"Hinata," her tone was serious, "You know that you can come to me if you ever need anything."

"I know."

The reply was quiet but Kurenai smiled as she felt a small hand gently slip in and squeeze her own.

"Goodnight, sensei."

**-o-O-o-**

She hadn't seen him since that night nearly two weeks ago.

Hinata sighed, absentmindedly stroking the soft tuff of fur on her lap. The stray kitten purred, nuzzling its head into the gentle fingers. The pond was unoccupied, a faint breeze sending light ripples across the mirror-like inky surface. She had not been able to sleep again but was unwilling to stay late at the training field.

_That's silly, Hinata. It was Itachi-san who ordered **me** to stay away from him. Even though he was the one who kissed me, even though he was the one who had been aroused..._

She hastily redirected her thoughts. It was not only distressing to think about what had happened that night, it was also dangerous. Dangerous because, in truth, Hinata wasn't nearly as frightened as she knew she should be. He had been rough and relentless yet, at the same time, desperate with some unspoken need.

_Maybe what he needs is you. _

The idea swam into her conscience but somehow, Hinata doubted that that was the reason. She sighed softly again. Not for the first time, she wished that her Byukugan could read emotions as well as other Hyuuga family members.

"You're out late."

The low voice from her right startled her. She had been too immersed in her thoughts to notice his arrival.

"Sasuke-kun?"

"Hyuuga."

Hinata glanced shyly up at the boy a few feet from her. His dark hair and clothing blended into the night, making him almost invisible. He looked so much like...him...that she couldn't think coherently.

"I couldn't...couldn't sleep so I went for a walk..."

Her voice trailed off when he gave no indication that he was even listening to her anymore. Taking his lead, the girl turned back to face the water, the peaceful stillness of the night broken only by the purring coming from her arms and the whispering of the wind through the reed bushes surrounding them.

"Why do you think people can't sleep?"

The question surprised her; Hinata would never have expected someone so well-known for being anti-social to initiate a conversation, especially with her.

"What...what do you mean?"

He sat down on the grass, his dark eyes fixed steadily on the sky above. It was a clear night, awash with countless twinkling stars.

"Is it because they're scared of what they might see in their dreams? Or because they're scared that when they wake up, they'll find that they've lost everything?"

His voice was so toneless, it sounded almost empty. Hinata tucked the kitten securely inside her jacket before wrapping her arms around her knees. It was cold tonight.

"Maybe they just...have too much to think about."

She shivered involuntarily as she sensed his gaze on her. Steeling herself for an icy retort, Hinata focused her milky eyes on the Uchiha.

"Then what are you thinking about?"

"I...umm..."

She was completely unprepared for the question and couldn't come up with a plausible excuse fast enough. The seconds ticked by while his expression grew sharper, taking in her flushed face and wringing hands.

"I...Sasuke-kun, do you believe that even if someone has done hor...horrible things, they can still change because...because they're good inside?"

The boy stared at her for a moment before flicking his gaze back to the horizon.

"No."

A disappointed breath escaped her lips. She had hoped that he...

"Why not?"

Hinata almost wished the question was too quietly spoken to be heard but the wind carried her words to him.

"Because it's not true."

The bundle against her heart stirred.

"What if it is?"

"Then prove it to me."

He stood up, directing a pair of painfully hard eyes on her. Eyes that had been mercilessly forced to become distant and emotionless. Forced by none other than his own brother.

"Prove it to me. I'd welcome you."

Without another word, he darted off, leaving Hinata alone with her thoughts once again.

_Maybe it's what he wants from you._

* * *


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters do not belong to me.

Many many apologies for taking so long to update! I've been getting settled into law school for the past while and have just not felt that **spark** to sit down and write something. Yes, I've been horribly lazy so a HUGE thank you to all of you who are still hanging in there with me!

We're nearing the end of this story - there will probably only be one more chapter after this - so I really hope you enjoy it. And congrats to **The Dark Hanyou**: you guessed what would happen correctly! Back to the fic now...

* * *

"Come on, Hinata! Hit that prick right in the prick!"

"Kiba, don't talk like that in front of Hinata."

"Shut up, Shino. I'm just giving her some pointers!"

"Eiii, Sasuke-kun! That was amazing!"

Leaping backwards, Hinata lifted her arm to defend herself. The voices of her teammates and friends was distracting. Ducking to the right, she focused her attention on the flurry of attacks directed at her.

_He's too fast and I don't have enough chakra to allocate to the Hyuuga fighting style. _

The thought raced through her mind while her body continued to move. She could feel herself slowing down as the relentless shower of fists and kicks continued to assault her.

_There must be someway out of this. _

Unbidden, her hands formed a particular set of seals. Seals she should never have been able to use.

"Ninpon Karamon no jutsu!"

Her hand intercepted an incoming fist. Hinata felt a surge of energy rush through her body as chakra flowed from Sasuke into her. He stopped dead in his tracks. Hinata wondered almost absently why he was staring at their connected hands instead of breaking the contact, why the colour was draining out of his already pale face, why the sound of his breathing was suddenly so much harsher…

It was as if her actions were leeching out whatever life was left in him.

Hinata stifled a yelp as large hands roughly knocked her arm away before returning to yank her forward. Startled white eyes met hard red ones.

_Now why does this scene feel familiar?_

"Where did you learn that?"

The venom in his hissed question surprised her. "Sas…Sasuke-kun?"

"Where did you learn to do that? Tell me!"

The iron-grip on her shoulders shook her so violently that Hinata could hear her teeth clinking together. The question was so unexpected and seemingly out-of-the-blue that she couldn't formulate an answer in her mind. Her hands rose in an attempt to loosen his hold.

"Sasuke-kun…stop…"

"Sasuke!"

His grip on her was suddenly removed as Kurenai appeared next to them. Moving to stand protectively in front of her student, the dark-haired woman regarded the Uchiha warily for a moment before redirecting her gaze to the other jounin standing nearby.

"Hey Kakashi, don't you think you should step in here?"

"I think I should."

If the other genins present were surprised at the direct answer issued from the generally indifferent Kakashi, none of them commented. All eyes were focused on the bewildering scene unfolding between the Byukugan and Sharingan user; even now, Sasuke's body was rigid, fists clenched and eyes boring unblinking at the trembling girl in front of him. Kakashi strode over to the three in the centre of attention, his visible right eye glinting sharply.

"Hinata."

The girl looked up at him, her feet unconsciously scuffing the dirt ground.

"H-hai?"

"Can you tell us where you learnt that move?"

His tone was kinder than Sasuke's yet the undercurrent of steel warned her that it was a demand, not a request. Hinata thought frantically, trying not to shrink behind her sensei.

_I should have never used it! I am so stupid…_

"I…I…"

Kurenai frowned; she didn't appreciate the way the man was interrogating her student.

"Look, Kakashi, Hinata is under no obligation to reveal the secrets of her attacks. For all you know, it could be a clan tradition…"

"I highly doubt that, considering it is one of Uchiha Itachi's creations."

Sharp gasps could be heard from the others. Akamaru gave a small whine, sensing the overpowering death ki emanating from the other Uchiha. The one left over. Sasuke abruptly lunged at Hinata, only to be restrained by a long, lean arm.

"Let go of me! You…girl…Hyuuga," in his rage, he couldn't even recall her name, "where did you learn that? You've seen him, haven't you? Tell me!"

"Sas...Sasuke-kun...gomen..."

That was all she could splutter out beforea welcoming rush of darkness flooded over the sight of his pained expression as Hinata slumped to the ground in a dead faint.

**-o-O-o-**

"Why did you do it?"

Hinata looked up, dully acknowledging the boy who was now leaning against the wall facing her. She was not particularly surprised to see him but had yet to mentally prepare herself for this confrontation. Sighing, she glanced around again at her surroundings. The cell was dark, the dying rays of light slanting across the hard stone floor and glinting off the metal bars separating her from the rest of the world. She supposed she should be glad she wasn't chained up.

"I don't know, Sasuke-kun."

He merely stared at her, the deceptively relaxed posture at odds with the tension evident in his tense shoulders and jaw. She noticed that he had removed, or someone had removed, both the weapons holster around his leg and the pounch on his hip. Her mind registered that that was probably a good thing for her.

"What did he say?"

"S-say?"

Red eyes flashed dangerously at her. It was not a good idea to provoke him. Not a good idea at all.

"Itach...he...he didn't say much. Just trained me."

"Why?"

All of a sudden, he had pushed himself off the wall and was gripping the metal bars of the cell so hard that Hinata almost expected him to rip the door off with his hands. She involuntarily backed away from him, clasping her knees to her chest as she huddled up on the cold, stone chair.

"Why did he train you? Why you?"

She heard it. Not only the question, but the question behind it. Although she did not know the underlying history, she still understood.

_Why not me?_

"I don't know."

The quiet answer hung in the air between them. Keeping her eyes fixed on his, Hinata watched as the boy took a shuddering breath and visibly controlled himself. Stepping away from her, he resumed his original position against the wall, hands stuffed in his pockets.

"I would kill you, you know. If only this room didn't inhibit chakra and I had my weapons. I would kill you without a single shred of regret."

She nodded. She knew that.

"I...I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun."

He stared at her, his gaze unflinchingly cold. Colder than the tiny cell she was sitting in, even colder than the hate she used to feel whenever Neji nii-san looked at her.

"You will never say my name again. You are not fit to do so."

Hinata finally dropped her eyes; her vision had become suspiciously blurry. She nodded silently. He was right. Turning his back on her, Sasuke paused before leaving.

"I was right. You can't prove anything."

The sharp click of the door shutting signalled his departure. Upon hearing it, Hinata rubbed at her eyes, expecting tears to fall. With a hoarse laugh, she realized there were none.

**-o-O-o-**

"You cannot do this. She hasn't done anything wrong; you have no right to hold her prisoner."

Neji's voice was as calm as always. He stood squarely in front of the Godaime's desk, his opaque eyes fixed unwaveringly on her face as if to force her to accept his demands. She sighed; it had been a long night. What with Kurenai's almost hysterical shock and Uchiha Sasuke's need to be restrained from ripping the truth from Hinata...Tsunade desperately wanted a drink.

"Actually Neji-kun, Hinata-chan has done something wrong. Very wrong, in fact. She knowingly concealed an S-class criminal on more than one occasion and for that, she is being held for questioning here. I've explained all of this to Hyuuga-san. Nothing has been done to her that is out of procedure."

Her mild appeal to the Hyuuga's innate obedience to the rules was not unnoticed but ignored.

"Hinata-sama did not _conceal _a criminal. She merely did not inform you...or was prevented from informing you...of his appearance in Konoha. Which, I might add, is the job of the ANBU and the current Hokage."

Tsunade bristled at the barely-concealed sneer in his voice.

"It is the job of the ANBU and the Hokage to ensure the safety of the residents of Konoha, whatever that might entail. In this case, it just so happens that it entails the holding of Hyuuga Hinata until ANBU interrogators can discuss the situation with her and verify what exactly has been going on between herself and Uchiha Itachi."

"What!"

She managed to choke down a snort at the look on his face. His pale face was taut with outrage and the corner of his left eye was twitching. The Hyuuga prodigy was so well-known for being composed that seeing him in a burst of anger was truly a rare and amusing sight.

"Hinata-sama will not be interrogated by ANBU! She is not a prisoner and will not be manhandled like one! I absolutely forbid you to..."

"You forbid me?"

Her tone was dark. Neji's mouth snapped shut and he inclined his head in the smallest bow possible, resentfully apologizing for his momentary lapse. Tsunade allowed herself a small grin when his head was lowered. It was actually a good thing that he was standing up for his cousin.

"You may go now. There is nothing else to discuss."

She held up her hand when he narrowed his eyes at her.

"Don't worry. Hinata-chan will not be harmed in any way. I have already talked to her and let's just say that she is held here for a very specific purpose. I'm sure that someone like you can figure out what I'm hinting at without my telling you. Of course, none of what I just said will be repeated to anyone."

The crease in his forehead deepened. Rolling that obscure statement over in his mind, Neji gave a stiff bow and exited.

The Godaime whistled softly. Contrary to what she had just implied, Hinata knew nothing of the plan she had devised with the help of several other jounin and ANBU members. True, she felt somewhat bad for using Hinata in this way, but it wasn't in Tsunade's disposition to be overly scruptulous about such things.

_Yes, if all things go smoothly, this should prove to be an eventful couple of days._

* * *

A/N: Ok, so I'll definately try my best to get the next chapter up in a few weeks. I know that seems like a long time but I'm already behind on my school assignments and reading so all I can promise is that I'll try my best.

And although I probably shouldn't, I'm in the process of writing a new Neji x Hinata fic. Yeah, I know I shouldn't since I've been neglecting 'I want you to teach me,' but the new idea just really struck me, so there! Oddly enough, I've written the ending FIRST again...


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters do not belong to me. 

I know ... I'm horrible! I kept procrastinating and procrastinating but every time I received a new review, I felt so bad so finally sat down and just finished it off. I hope that you all enjoyed this as much as I have in writing it. Just wanted to say a huge THANK YOU to all of you who read and reviewed this - I'm always awed and humbled by how insightful and supportive everyone is.

Please do check out my other fics and I'm looking forward to my new venture into Harry Potter land...(yeah, I changed my mind about the Neji x Hinata fic, although I do still have the two chapters I've already written still in my computer.)

* * *

Itachi knew it was a trap.

The gossip was so rampant, so quickly spread considering the delicacy of the situation that it could not be otherwise. This pathetic little village with its self-righteous inhabitants…his lip curled in a rare, albeit faint, display of contempt.

"I heard that the Hyuuga heir was caught _consorting_ with an S-class criminal!"

"The Hyuuga heir? I heard she's pretty weak. Do you think that's why she was hanging out with…wait, whose the guy again?"

"I have no idea but she must be pretty desperate to have to stoop to those levels. Thank goodness the Godaime has her locked up in the Tower right now. Who knows what kind of secrets she's revealed about Konoha already?"

The whispers grew fainter as the two teenagers walked away. Itachi's eyes narrowed at their retreating backs from his position in the forest on the edge of town as he considered the current situation. He had been in ANBU himself and he knew how it operated. It was highly unlikely for information regarding the specifics, and especially the holding of prisoners, to be common knowledge. He also doubted that the Hyuuga clan or the current Hokage would allow any accidental leaks of information that would unnecessarily damage the reputation of one of its inhabitants.

Soundlessly retreating to his temporary hideout within the Forest of Death, Itachi casually impaled a wandering snake with a kunai. He had not strayed far from Konoha since their last meeting. Atasuki had not needed him so the Uchiha did not even have the comparative luxury of focusing on something other than the thoughts that had been plaguing him relentlessly for the past few weeks.

"_Why do you do this to yourself? Why do you force yourself to do things you don't mean?" _

"_Please, Itachi-san…yada…" _

"_Don't come near me again." _

Glaring at the dead snake as if it was the instigator of his present turmoil, Itachi shut his eyes to block out the images floating in his mind. He had done it on purpose and he didn't regret it. Uchiha Itachi had no regrets. But, at the same time, he acknowledged that if he had been given the chance to relive that night, he might not have done the same thing over again.

Given the chance, he might not have approached her in the very beginning.

_You're lying to yourself. _

Frowning, Itachi mulled over the contradiction in his mind. The contradiction that was Hyuuga Hinata.

**-o-O-o-**

Hinata rubbed her arms absently. The sunlight streamed brightly across her face, but somehow, its warmth seemed to dissipate upon entering the cell.

_How can it be so cold when it looks so warm?_

The thought struck her as ironic. It seemed like she had been asking that question her entire life. Her father. Neji nii-san. Itachi-san. The realization was draining but she did not fight it. There was not much left to drain anyways.

"Go! Now!"

The sudden commotion outside her cell broke through the stillness in the air. Hinata got to her feet and peered curiously down the long stretch of hallway, trying to make out the noises. Two long days of answering the same questions again and again. Two sleepless nights since she had met with the Godaime.

--

_"Hinata, I'm sure you understand the situation you're in."_

_She bowed her head, trying futilely to not chew on her bottom lip. _

_"Yes, Godaime-sama."_

_"Then I'm sure you'll understand that I have to keep you under ANBU watch until we get this thing sorted out."_

_"Yes, Godaime-sama."_

_The towering blonde scruntinized the girl, her demeanour strict and professional but not unkind. _

_"Hinata."_

_She raised her head in acknowledgement. _

_"Don't worry. Everything will be fine."_

_The gentleness in her voice was what unleashed the furiously-contained flood of tears. _

_"But...but Godaime-sama, I...I..."_

_The words died on her lips when she saw the older woman's soft smile. _

_"We understand. Yes, it was a betrayal..."_

_Hinata winced._

_"...but it was unintentional. You will be punished by house arrest for the next three months and will be ordered to reveal everything Uchiha Itachi has taught you. But..."_

_And here, she lightly rested her hands on the girl's shoulders._

_"...you are not a traitor. Do not overly blame yourself."_

--

Hinata sighed. She wondered if her father had met with the Hokage. How much more disappointed he must be. She shook her head, the limp strands of unwashed black hair fluttering against her pale cheeks. The whole place seemed oddly quiet all of a sudden.

"Hinata."

It was the voice that had haunted her thoughts for the past few weeks. Hinata whirled around in the direction of the sound, her eyes widening as they came to rest on the barred window of her cell. There he was, perched on the side of the mountain facing her.

"Itachi-san."

She had not seen him since that last time. She did not know how to react.

"Stand back. There's no time."

She recognized the seals he was making and barely managed to brace herself for the oncoming blast.

CRASH

Hinata blinked increduously. In place of the window, there was now a huge hole in the wall. He materialized in front of her.

"Let's go."

"No...no."

The girl shrank back against the bars of her cell. His sudden appearance was so shocking, so unexpected that her brain could not form a proper response. Sharp red eyes glared down at her before he firmly scooped her unresisting body in his arms and leapt out of the building.

Hinata lay frozen against his chest, her mind dimly registering the warmth radiating from beneath his heavy cloak. The sting of wind shrilled against her ears, muting the distant shouts as the pair headed further from town and into the woods. Her mind was still blank and strangely enough, Hinata found that she preferred it that way.

"Here, can you stand?"

Her head nodded automatically and she found herself being slowly lowered to the ground. Manouvering her into the shadows of the heavy oaks, the Uchiha stared down at her silently, not touching her yet not moving away.

"How...how did you get into the Tower?"

"I sent a Kage Bushin clone. It should keep the ANBU busy for a while."

He made it sound so simple. As if the guards and the Hokage were of no importance. Perhaps that was truly how he viewed them. Hinata could not bring herself to look at him. She wanted to apologize for her mistake. To apologize for the fact that now everyone in Konoha was after him again. But somehow she knew her apology would not be accepted or even wanted. Besides, it was not as if everyone had not been after him anyways. They stood there, the moments ticking by audibly.

"I...Sasu..."

"Sasuke?"

She nodded bleakly, head lowered until it nearly touched her chest. She hadn't forgotten his order never to say this name again.

"He...he was so angry. I failed him."

"Failed?"

"I wanted to prove to him...that even if people have done horrible things, that they..."

"That they can still be good inside?"

He finished her sentence for her, uncharacteristic weariness colouring the flat tone of his voice. Hinata nodded again, idly noting that the hem of his long black cloak was ragged and crusted with dirt.

Konoha dirt.

She squeezed her eyes shut against the unexpected, and unwanted, rush of hot tears. It was all because of her.

"Hinata, look at me."

When she gave no indication of hearing, Itachi reached out to gently tip her face up to his. Instead of withdrawing however, his long fingers remained to lightly stroke her chin. Hinata had to force herself to ignore a startling desire to step towards her first source of warmth in the past couple of days.

"Ask me why I did that to him."

_The Uchiha Massacre._

Her eyes widened. Of all the conversations she had anticipated having with him after her stupid mistake, this was certainly not one of them. His face was still beautiful, but somehow more drawn than she remembered. But for once, she felt as if he was open, as willing to let her understand him as he was in allowing her gaze to roam over his statuesque features unhindered.

"Why?"

It was barely a whisper. He licked his lips and watched as her luminous gaze followed the movement. She wondered if he could taste her question as it left her.

"I wanted to know if I was strong...if I was different."

"Like everyone said?"

Her sense of empathy was typical; Itachi recalled her acceptance of her cousin. A glimmer of admiration flashed briefly across his eyes.

"Yes, like everyone said."

Hinata was conscious of his continued touch on her chin, his eyes on her face. She did not realize that she had been holding her breath until a whoosh of air escaped her lips at the feel of his long cool finger tracing down her pale cheek.

"You're not pushing me away."

The observation was quiet and she had no answer to give him. Perhaps he had not been expecting one. They stood close together, each fully aware of the seconds ticking by.

"Now do you understand why I wanted to teach you, Hinata?"

She shook her head minutely, gasping when the movement brought her lips in contact with his thumb. A flicker of something appeared in his eyes and she watched in fascination as the black Sharingan dots rotated lazily in response. The scent of pine and musk suddenly grew much stronger as Itachi leaned infinitely closer. Hinata drew in a shuddering breath when those same fingers lingered on the trembling curve of her lower lip.

"I wanted to know if I was normal."

Opaque eyes widened at his words. So that was it...that was what he wanted.

Comparison of what his life could have been. Verification that he was capable of being anything he wanted.

Her lips parted but the question died when she felt his thumb gently slip in to swipe the soft inside of her lip. Transfixed, she watched as Itachi lifted his hand to his mouth and licked her moisture off. His eyes never left hers.

"My goal was the same as it was back then. Different version, same concept."

He was so close she could feel his silky bangs brush against her own.

"People do not change, Hinata."

The silence that followed was heavy, poignant. She wondered briefly if he realized the double meaning of his statement. That, in essence, he was still the _same_ little boy his brother had idolized. That he had agreed with the question she had posed to both Uchihas.

A disturbance in the air broke their reverie and Hinata sagged when she felt his gaze finally release hers. Stepping back, Itachi turned to face the men that landed a few feet from them. The blank mask fell back into place.

"Kakashi. Gai."

--

Itachi turned to look at the small figure braced against the tree. The wide, opal eyes gazed beseechingly back at him, darting back and forth between him and the bound Kakashi and Gai.

"Turn away, Hinata."

"N…no."

She took a step towards him, seemingly deaf to the warning yells of her sensai to run away.

"Itachi-san, please…please don't do this."

Blood red eyes stared back at her, the black dots of the Sharingan rotating as he prepared to use the Tsuoyomi. Without a word, a Bushen clone appeared next to Hinata. It gripped her arms firmly and turned her away from the fight. Holding her shaking form to his body, the Itachi-clone made some simple genjusu seals and Hinata found herself in a dream-like world of open fields and sakura trees waving gently in the breeze. Distant screams unnerved her but her mind was relaxingly blank; she was vaguely aware of a warmth surrounding her body as she leaned against something solid and oddly familiar. Surely tree trunks didn't give off heat?

The illusion vanished and Hinata found her cheek buried in the folds of Itachi's cloak. Nervously, she lifted her head and was relieved to see that his eyes had returned to black.

"Itachi-san…what…what happened?"

Pulling back slightly, she shook her head and the memory of the fight returned in full force. Gasping, she swung around to see both sensei on the ground, unconscious. He allowed her to run towards them and watched as she anxiously shook Kakashi's shoulder.

"They won't wake up."

"Why did you do this? Why did you hurt them?"

Tear-filled white eyes met his and he frowned. Still standing unmoved from their previous position under the tree, his answer was soft, expressionless.

"If I hadn't, they would have hurt me. Is that what you would have preferred, Hinata?"

The girl struggled to find an answer.

"Iie. But you could have just walked away, you didn't have to do…do this…to them!"

Wringing her hands desperately, she dropped her gaze to stare at the ground, willing him to understand.

"You…you didn't do this to me…you tried to protect me from it."

He sighed and walked slowly towards her, carelessly stepping over the repulsive green-clad body of Gai.

"No, I didn't do it to you. But then again, you are not them and they are not you."

Hinata shook her head, unsure what to say or do. "Itachi-san…Itachi-san, please…"

"What do you want from me, Hinata?"

A pale hand emerged from within the folds of his cloak. Pausing before it reached its destination, Itachi gently caressed her cheek, pleased when she didn't flinch or withdraw. Catching a tear from the corner of her eye, he rubbed the wetness between his fingers and slipped his hand to hold the back of her head. Hinata's eyes widened in surprise when he bent and whispered his lips across her cheeks. When he caught her tears with his tongue before warming her skin with his lips.

There it was again. She remembered that feeling, that scent.

"Wha…what…?"

"I'm sorry."

_For what I did last time. _

The memory of their last encounter rose up between them like a heavy, obscuring fog. Hinata trembled, shaking her head minutely. She did not know whether she did it to clear the images in her head, to reject his apology or to signify that it no longer mattered. All she knew was that that was in the past and now they had to deal with the present.

She knew that they had no future.

"Don't cry."

He pressed his mouth against hers more firmly, swallowing her little gasp. Hinata's nerveless hands left Kakashi's shoulder to clutch Itachi's cloak. Running his tongue along her bottom lip, Itachi patiently coaxed a response from her and slipped in to taste her. She was as sweet as he could have wished for.

Hinata let out a soft murmur when he pulled back reluctantly. She was defenseless against this type ofattack when it came from him; Itachi wryly noted that perhaps he was as well. Exerting some of his remaining chakra to activate the Tsuoyomi, Itachi tilted her chin up to look him shyly in the eye. Transporting her into a red and black illusion of the woods, he sifted his fingers through her silky black hair.

The memory and feel of her would have to last him a long time.

"From here on, you will experience 24 hours of pleasure with me."

The Tsuoyomi version of him wrapped his arms around her and resumed his attentions. Pulling her to the ground, he reveled in her soft sounds of delight.

**-o-O-o- **

Itachi glanced at the path leading to the clearing. Rescue squads were coming. The unconscious figures of Kakashi and Gai lay in the dirt, weak and defeated while Hinata was curled in his arms, gratifyingly exhausted and asleep. Placing her gently on the ground next to the two Jounin, Itachi rested his forehead against hers and inhaled deeply before dropping one last kiss on her parted lips.

Straightening, he smoothed the hair from her face and, with a single, long gaze at her peaceful face, disappeared. For her sake, he did not intend to return to Konoha again.

"Goodbye, Hyuuga Hinata."

-

_The End_

_-_

* * *

A/N: I know that some of you might find this ending...unfulfilling...and I completely understand. I personally prefer reading stories in which the characters end up together too. 

But I really thought that this conclusion would be more realistic since I just can't see Hinata ditching her family and friends to run off with Itachi, nor can I see Itachi being forgiven for everything he's done. This is just me and I sincerely apologise if I disappointed anyone. Also, I'm not a fan of fighting scenes so I tried to skip over it as best as I could. SORRY! The whole chapter is a bit rushed so if there's anything that anyone thinks needs improvement, please do tell me- I welcome all comments and criticisms!


End file.
